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Published by VM eBookTHE LIFE OF JOHN DRYDEN.DRYDEN'S POEMS.ON THE DEATH OF LORD HASTINGS.[1]FOOTNOTES:HEROIC STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF OLIVER CROMWELL,WRITTEN AFTER HIS FUNERAL.FOOTNOTES:ASTRÆA REDUX.A POEM ON THE HAPPY RESTORATION AND RETURN OF HIS SACRED MAJESTY CHARLES II., 1660.FOOTNOTES:TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY.A PANEGYRIC ON HIS CORONATION.FOOTNOTES:TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR HYDE.[31]PRESENTED ON NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1662.FOOTNOTES:SATIRE ON THE DUTCH.[32]WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1662.FOOTNOTES:TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS,[34]ON THE MEMORABLE VICTORY GAINED BY THE DUKE OVER THE HOLLANDERS, JUNE 3, 1665. AND ON HER JOURNEY AFTERWARDS INTO THE NORTH.FOOTNOTES:ANNUS MIRABILIS:THE YEAR OF WONDERS, 1666.AN HISTORICAL POEM.AN ACCOUNT OF THE ENSUING POEM, IN A LETTER TO THE HONOURABLE SIR ROBERT HOWARD.JOHN DRYDEN.FOOTNOTES:AN ESSAY UPON SATIRE.BY ME DRYDEN AND THE EARL OF MULGRAVE,[50] 1679.FOOTNOTES:ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.[66]TO THE READER.FOOTNOTES:PART I.PART II.TO THE READER.DERRICK.A KEY TO BOTH PARTS OF ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.FOOTNOTES:THE MEDAL.[76]A SATIRE AGAINST SEDITION.EPISTLE TO THE WHIGS.FOOTNOTES:RELIGIO LAICI; OR, A LAYMAN'S FAITH.AN EPISTLE.THE PREFACE.FOOTNOTES:THRENODIA AUGUSTALIS:A FUNERAL PINDARIC POEM, SACRED TO THE HAPPY MEMORY OF KING CHARLES II.I.II.III.IV.V.VI.VII.VIII.IX.X.XI.XII.XIII.XIV.XV.XVI.XVII.XVIII.FOOTNOTES:VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS, PARAPHRASED.THE HIND AND THE PANTHER.A POEM, IN THREE PARTS.PREFACE.PART I.FOOTNOTES:PART II.FOOTNOTES:PART III.FOOTNOTES:MAC FLECKNOE.[139]FOOTNOTES:BRITANNIA REDIVIVA:A POEM ON THE PRINCE, BORN JUNE 10, 1688.FOOTNOTES:

Published by VM eBookCRITICAL ESTIMATEOF THEGENIUS AND POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN DRYDEN.CONTENTS.EPISTLES.ELEGIES AND EPITAPHS.SONGS, ODES, AND A MASQUE.PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES.TALES FROM CHAUCER.DRYDEN'S POEMS.EPISTLES.EPISTLE I.TO MY HONOURED FRIEND SIR ROBERT HOWARD,[1] ON HIS EXCELLENT POEMS.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE IITO MY HONOURED FRIEND DR CHARLETON, ON HIS LEARNED AND USEFUL WORKS; BUT MORE PARTICULARLY HIS TREATISE OF STONEHENGE,[6] BY HIM RESTORED TO THE TRUE FOUNDER.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE III.TO THE LADY CASTLEMAIN,[11] UPON HER ENCOURAGING HIS FIRST PLAY.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE IV.TO MR LEE, ON HIS "ALEXANDER."FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE V.TO THE EARL OF ROSCOMMON, ON HIS EXCELLENT ESSAY ON TRANSLATED VERSE.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE VI.TO THE DUCHESS OF YORK, ON HER RETURN FROM SCOTLAND IN THE YEAR 1682.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE VII.A LETTER TO SIR GEORGE ETHEREGE.[16]FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE VIII.TO MR SOUTHERNE, ON HIS COMEDY CALLED "THE WIVES' EXCUSE."FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE IX.TO HENRY HIGDEN,[18] ESQ., ON HIS TRANSLATION OF THE TENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE X.TO MY DEAR FRIEND MR CONGREVE, ON HIS COMEDY CALLED "THE DOUBLE-DEALER."EPISTLE XI.TO MR GRANVILLE,[20] ON HIS EXCELLENT TRAGEDY CALLED "HEROIC LOVE."FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE XII.TO MY FRIEND MR MOTTEUX,[23] ON HIS TRAGEDY CALLED "BEAUTY IN DISTRESS."FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE XIII.TO MY HONOURED KINSMAN, JOHN DRYDEN,[24] OF CHESTERTON, IN THE COUNTY OF HUNTINGDON, ESQ.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE XIV.[32]TO SIR GODFREY KNELLER, PRINCIPAL PAINTER TO HIS MAJESTY.FOOTNOTES:EPISTLE XV.TO HIS FRIEND THE AUTHOR, JOHN HODDESDON, ON HIS DIVINE EPIGRAMS.EPISTLE XVI.TO MY FRIEND MR J. NORTHLEIGH, AUTHOR OF "THE PARALLEL," ON HIS "TRIUMPH OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY."ELEGIES AND EPITAPHS.I.TO THE MEMORY OF MR OLDHAM.[33]FOOTNOTES:II.TO THE PIOUS MEMORY OF THE ACCOMPLISHED YOUNG LADY MRS ANNE KILLIGREW,[34] EXCELLENT IN THE TWO SISTER ARTS OF POESY AND PAINTING. AN ODE. 1685.I.II.III.IV.V.VI.VII.VIII.IX.X.FOOTNOTES:III.UPON THE DEATH OFTHE EARL OF DUNDEE.[36]FOOTNOTES:IV.ELEONORA:A PANEGYRICAL POEM, DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE COUNTESS OF ABINGDON.JOHN DRYDEN.FOOTNOTES:V.ON THE DEATH OF AMYNTAS.A PASTORAL ELEGY.MENALCAS.DAMON.MENALCAS.VI.ON THE DEATH OF A VERY YOUNG GENTLEMAN.VII.UPON YOUNG MR ROGERS OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE.VIII.ON THE DEATH OF MR PURCELL.SET TO MUSIC BY DR BLOW.IX.EPITAPH ON THE LADY WHITMORE.X.EPITAPH ON SIR PALMES FAIRBONE'S TOMB IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.SACRED TO THE IMMORTAL MEMORY OF SIR PALMES FAIRBONE, KNIGHT, GOVERNOR OF TANGIER; IN EXECUTION OF WHICH COMMAND, HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED BY A SHOT FROM THE MOORS, THEN BESIEGING THE TOWN, IN THE FORTY-SIXTH YEAR OF HIS AGE. OCTOBER 24, 1680.XI.UNDER MR MILTON'S PICTURE, BEFORE HIS PARADISE LOST.[38]FOOTNOTES:XIION THE MONUMENT OF A FAIR MAIDEN LADY[39], WHO DIED AT BATH, AND IS THERE INTERRED.FOOTNOTES:XIII.EPITAPH ON MRS MARGARET PASTON, OF BURNINGHAM IN NORFOLK.XIV.ON THE MONUMENT OF THE MARQUIS OF WINCHESTER.[40]FOOTNOTES:SONGS, ODES, AND A MASQUEI.THE FAIR STRANGER.[41]A SONG.FOOTNOTES:IION THE YOUNG STATESMEN.WRITTEN IN 1680.FOOTNOTES:III.A SONG FOR ST CECILIA'S DAY,[43]1687.GRAND CHORUS.FOOTNOTES:IV.THE TEARS OF AMYNTA, FOR THE DEATH OF DAMON.A SONG.V.THE LADY'S SONG.[44]FOOTNOTES:VI.A SONG.VII.A SONG.VIII.RONDELAY.IX.A SONG.X.A SONG TO A FAIR YOUNG LADY, GOING OUT OF TOWN IN THE SPRING.XI.SONGS IN THE "INDIAN EMPEROR."I.II.XII.SONG IN THE "MAIDEN QUEEN."XIII.SONGS IN "THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA."I.II.XIV.SONG OF THE SEA-FIGHT, IN AMBOYNA.XV.INCANTATION IN OEDIPUS.XVI.SONGS IN ALBION AND ALBANIUS.I.II.III.IV.V.XVII.SONGS IN KING ARTHUR.I.II.MAN SINGS.CHORUS.WOMAN SINGS.CHORUS.III.IV.V.VI.XVIII.SONG OF JEALOUSY, IN LOVE TRIUMPHANT.XIX.SONG. FAREWELL, FAIR ARMIDA.XX.ALEXANDER'S FEAST; OR, THE POWER OF MUSIC.AN ODE, IN HONOUR OF ST CECILIA'S DAY.CHORUS.CHORUS.CHORUS.CHORUS.CHORUS.CHORUS.GRAND CHORUS.XXITHE SECULAR MASQUE.[45]FOOTNOTES:XXII.SONG OF A SCHOLAR AND HIS MISTRESS,WHO, BEING CROSSED BY THEIR FRIENDS, FELL MAD FOR ONE ANOTHER; AND NOW FIRST MEET IN BEDLAM.PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES.I.PROLOGUE TO THE RIVAL LADIES.A SECOND PROLOGUE ENTERS.II.PROLOGUE TO THE INDIAN QUEEN.III.EPILOGUE TO THE INDIAN QUEEN.SPOKEN BY MONTEZUMA.IV.EPILOGUE TO THE INDIAN EMPEROR,BY A MERCURY.V.PROLOGUE TO SIR MARTIN MARR-ALL.VI.PROLOGUE TO THE TEMPEST.VII.PROLOGUE TO TYRANNIC LOVE.VIII.EPILOGUE TO THE WILD GALLANT,WHEN REVIVED.IX.PROLOGUE.SPOKEN THE FIRST DAY OF THE KING'S HOUSE ACTING AFTER THE FIRE OF LONDON.X.EPILOGUE TO THE SECOND PART OF THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA.XI.PROLOGUE TO AMBOYNA.[46]FOOTNOTES:XII.EPILOGUE TO AMBOYNA.XIII.PROLOGUE.SPOKEN AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW HOUSE, MARCH 26, 1674.FOOTNOTES:XIV.PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, 1674.SPOKEN BY MR HART.FOOTNOTES:XV.PROLOGUE TO "CIRCE," A TRAGIC OPERA;BY DR DAVENANT,[50] 1675.FOOTNOTES:XVI.EPILOGUE,INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN SPOKEN BY THE LADY HEN. MAR. WENTWORTH, WHEN "CALISTO"[51] WAS ACTED AT COURT.FOOTNOTES:XVII.PROLOGUE TO "AURENGZEBE."FOOTNOTES:XVIII.EPILOGUE TO "THE MAN OF MODE; OR, SIR FOPLING FLUTTER;"BY SIR GEORGE ETHEREGE, 1676.XIX.EPILOGUE TO "ALL FOR LOVE."XX.PROLOGUE TO "LIMBERHAM."XXI.EPILOGUE TO "MITHRIDATES, KING OF PONTUS;"BY NATHAN LEE, 1678.XXII.PROLOGUE TO "OEDIPUS."XXIII.EPILOGUE TO "OEDIPUS."XXIV.PROLOGUE TO "TROILUS AND CRESSIDA."SPOKEN BY MR BETTERTON, REPRESENTING THE GHOST OF SHAKSPEARE.XXV.PROLOGUE TO "CÆSAR BORGIA;"[54]BY NATHAN LEE, 1680.FOOTNOTES:XXVI.PROLOGUE TO "SOPHONISBA,"ACTED AT OXFORD, 1680.WRITTEN BY NATHAN LEE.FOOTNOTES:XXVII.PROLOGUE TO "THE LOYAL GENERAL;"BY MR TATE, 1680.FOOTNOTES:XXVIII.PROLOGUE[57] TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,FOOTNOTES:XXIX.PROLOGUE[58] TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS,UPON HIS FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE DUKE'S THEATRE, AFTER HIS RETURN FROM SCOTLAND, 1682.FOOTNOTES:XXX.PROLOGUE TO "THE EARL OF ESSEX; OR, THE UNHAPPY FAVOURITE;"BY MR J. BANKS, 1682.SPOKEN TO THE KING AND QUEEN AT THEIR COMING TO THE HOUSE.XXXI.EPILOGUE FOR "THE KING'S HOUSE."[59]FOOTNOTES:XXXII.PROLOGUE TO "THE LOYAL BROTHER; OR, THE PERSIAN PRINCE;"[60]BY MR SOUTHERN, 1682.FOOTNOTES:XXXIII.PROLOGUE TO "THE KING AND QUEEN."[63]UPON THE UNION OF THE TWO COMPANIES IN 1686.FOOTNOTES:XXXIV.PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,SPOKEN BY MR HART, AT THE ACTING OF "THE SILENT WOMAN."XXXV.EPILOGUE,SPOKEN BY THE SAME.XXXVI.EPILOGUE,SPOKEN AT OXFORD, BY MRS MARSHALL.FOOTNOTES:XXXVII.PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.XXXVIII.PROLOGUE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.XXXIX.PROLOGUE TO "ALBION AND ALBANIUS."XL.EPILOGUE TO "ALBION AND ALBANIUS."XLI.PROLOGUE TO "ARVIRGUS AND PHILICIA REVIVED."BY LODOWICK CARLELL, ESQ., 1690.SPOKEN BY MR HART.XLII.PROLOGUE TO "DON SEBASTIAN."SPOKEN BY A WOMAN.XLIII.PROLOGUE TO "THE PROPHETESS."[65]BY BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER.SPOKEN BY MR BETTERTON. 1690.FOOTNOTES:XLIV.PROLOGUE TO "THE MISTAKES."BY JOSEPH HARRIS, COMEDIAN, 1690. (WRITTEN BY SOME OTHER.)XLV.PROLOGUE TO "KING ARTHUR."SPOKEN BY MR BETTERTON.XLVI.PROLOGUE TO "ALBUMAZAR."[67]FOOTNOTES:XLVII.AN EPILOGUE.XLVIII.EPILOGUE TO "THE HUSBAND HIS OWN CUCKOLD."BY MR JOHN DRYDEN, JUN., 1696.[68]FOOTNOTES:XLIX.PROLOGUE TO "THE PILGRIM."BY BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER.REVIVED FOR OUR AUTHOR'S BENEFIT, ANNO 1700.FOOTNOTES:L.EPILOGUE TO "THE PILGRIM."FOOTNOTES:TALES FROM CHAUCER.TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF ORMOND.PREFACE.TO HER GRACE THE DUCHESS OF ORMOND,[71]WITH THE FOLLOWING POEM OF PALAMON AND ARCITE.MADAM,FOOTNOTES:PALAMON AND ARCITE:OR, THE KNIGHT'S TALE.BOOK I.BOOK II.BOOK III.THE COCK AND THE FOX: OR, THE TALE OF THE NUN'S PRIEST.THE MORAL.FOOTNOTES:THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF:OR, THE LADY IN THE ARBOUR.[74]A VISION.FOOTNOTES:THE WIFE OF BATH, HER TALE.FOOTNOTES:THE CHARACTER OF A GOOD PARSON.[80]FOOTNOTES:

Dominating the literary life of Restoration England, Dryden produced a large oeuvre of poetry, plays, essays and translations that were without their equal, inspiring later critics to refer to his era simply as the 'Age of Dryden'. The Delphi Poets Series offers readers the works of literature's finest poets, with superior formatting. This volume presents the complete poetical works and plays of John Dryden for the first time in digital publishing history, with beautiful illustrations and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 2)

* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Dryden's life and works* Concise introductions to the poetry and other works* Excellent formatting of the poems, with line numbers, ideal for students* Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry* Easily locate the poems you want to read* Includes Dryden's complete 28 plays and operas - spend hours exploring the poet's dramatic works* Features no less than four biographies, including Sir Walter Scott's seminal study - discover Dryden's literary life* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres

The Poetry CollectionsEARLY POEMSANNUS MIRABILISMAC FLECKNOEABSALOM AND ACHITOPHELTHE MEDALLRELIGIO LAICITHE HIND AND THE PANTHEREPISTLES AND COMPLIMENTARY ADDRESSESELEGIES AND EPITAPHSSONGS, ODES AND LYRICAL PIECESFABLES ANCIENT AND MODERNPOETRY FROM THE PLAYSTRANSLATIONS

The PoemsLIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDERLIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

The PlaysTHE WILD GALLANTTHE RIVAL LADIESTHE INDIAN QUEENTHE INDIAN EMPERORSECRET-LOVESIR MARTIN MAR-ALLTHE TEMPESTTYRANNICK LOVEAN EVENING'S LOVEALMANZOR AND ALMAHIDEMARRIAGE ¿ LA MODETHE ASSIGNATIONAMBOYNAAURENG-ZEBETHE STATE OF INNOCENCE AND FALL OF MANALL FOR LOVEOEDIPUSTROILUS AND CRESSIDALIMBERHAMTHE SPANISH FRYARTHE DUKE OF GUISEALBION AND ALBANIUSDON SEBASTIAN, KING OF PORTUGALAMPHITRYONKING ARTHURCLEOMENES, THE SPARTAN HEROLOVE TRIUMPHANTCONTRIBUTIONS TO VANBRUGH'S ADAPTATION OF FLETCHER'S THE PILGRIM

All for Love or, The World Well Lost is John Dryden's 1677 adaptationof the tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra into a neo-classical quintetwith supporting voices: After Cleopatra's desertion of Antony at thebattle of Actium, not only his wife Octavia but also his generalVentidius and his friend Dolabella strive to win him over to theirside. Antony, torn between the claims of duty, friendship, dignity andlove, despairs when he hears the rumour of Cleopatra's death, which isnot, as in Shakespeare's version, spread by the queen herself but byher deceitful eunuch. This edition includes Dryden's dedication of theplay to the Earl of Danby and his preface, in which he defends againstFrench neo-classicist strictures the liberties he took with hissources; it further discusses the play's austere power in the theatre,which is unjustly considered to be inferior to Shakespeare's quitedistinct version of the story.

Dryden's audiences in 1671, both aristocratic and middle-class, wouldhave been quick to respond to the themes of disputed royal succession,Francophilia and loyalty among subjects in his most successfultragicomedy. In the tragic plot, written in verse, young Leonidas hasto struggle to assert his place as the rightful heir to the throne ofSicily and to the hand of the usurper's daughter. In the comic plot,written in prose, two fashionable couples (much more at home in Londondrawing-rooms than at the Sicilian court) play at switching partners inthe 'modern' style. The introduction of this edition argues thatDryden's own ambivalence about King Charles and his entourage, on whomhe came to rely more on more for patronage, manifests itself in bothplots; most of all perhaps in the excessively Francophile Melantha,whose affectation cannot quite hide her endearing joie-de-vivre.

This volume contains the poems of Dryden extending from 1681 to 1684. Along with the poems of Dryden and associated extensive commentaries and textual notes from the editors, this volume contains the dramatic prologues and epilogues Dryden wrote for the plays of other writers from this period of time.

This volume contains the poems of Dryden extending from 1649 to 1680. Along with the poems of Dryden and associated extensive commentaries and textual notes from the editors, this volume contains the dramatic prologues and epilogues Dryden wrote for the plays of other writers from this period of time.

This collection of prose writing from the pen of Dryden dates from 1668 to 1691, and contains work that the editors describe as "a sampler of Dryden as biographer-historian, political commentator, religious controversialist, literary polemicist, literary theorist, and practical critic. Among the works contained here is his "Essay of Dramatick Poesie."

All for Love or, The World Well Lost is John Dryden's 1677 adaptationof the tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra into a neo-classical quintetwith supporting voices: After Cleopatra's desertion of Antony at thebattle of Actium, not only his wife Octavia but also his generalVentidius and his friend Dolabella strive to win him over to theirside. Antony, torn between the claims of duty, friendship, dignity andlove, despairs when he hears the rumour of Cleopatra's death, which isnot, as in Shakespeare's version, spread by the queen herself but byher deceitful eunuch. This edition includes Dryden's dedication of theplay to the Earl of Danby and his preface, in which he defends againstFrench neo-classicist strictures the liberties he took with hissources; it further discusses the play's austere power in the theatre,which is unjustly considered to be inferior to Shakespeare's quitedistinct version of the story.

Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse is one of her greatest literary achievements and among the most influential novels of the twentieth century.

The serene and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, and their children and assorted guests are on holiday on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse, Woolf constructs a remarkable, moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life and the conflict between men and women.

The Táin Bó Cuailnge, centre-piece of the eighth-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales, is Ireland's greatest epic. It tells the story of a great cattle-raid, the invasion of Ulster by the armies of Medb and Ailill, queen and king of Connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great Brown Bull of Cuailnge. The hero of the tale is Cuchulainn, the Hound of Ulster, who resists the invaders single-handed while Ulster's warriors lie sick. Thomas Kinsella presents a complete and living version of the story. His translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with elements from other versions, and adds a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the Táin. Illustrated with brush drawings by Louis le Brocquy, this edition provides a combination of medieval epic and modern art.

In this inspiring consideration of the spiritual themes in the popular Harry Potter series, well-known Christian author and Harry Potter fan Connie Neal explores the world of magic and mystery created by J. K. Rowling alongside the stories and grand themes of the Bible. Contrary to those who reject the series as a threat to the Christian faith, Neal demonstrates how the lessons in Harry Potter not only echo many of the stories in the Bible but reinforce the central messages of Christianity. This revised and expanded edition explores all seven installments in the Harry Potter series.

(This book has not been prepared, endorsed, or licensed by any person or entity that created, published, or produced the Harry Potter books or related properties.)

Preeminent Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro shows how the tumultuous events in 1606 influenced three of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies written that year—King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra. “The Year of Lear is irresistible—a banquet of wisdom” (The New York Times Book Review).

In the years leading up to 1606, Shakespeare’s great productivity had ebbed. But that year, at age forty-two, he found his footing again, finishing a play he had begun the previous autumn—King Lear—then writing two other great tragedies, Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra.

It was a memorable year in England as well—a terrorist plot conceived by a small group of Catholic gentry had been uncovered at the last hour. The foiled Gunpowder Plot would have blown up the king and royal family along with the nation’s political and religious leadership. The aborted plot renewed anti-Catholic sentiment and laid bare divisions in the kingdom.

It was against this background that Shakespeare finished Lear, a play about a divided kingdom, then wrote a tragedy that turned on the murder of a Scottish king, Macbeth. He ended this astonishing year with a third masterpiece no less steeped in current events and concerns: Antony and Cleopatra.

“Exciting and sometimes revelatory, in The Year of Lear, James Shapiro takes a closer look at the political and social turmoil that contributed to the creation of three supreme masterpieces” (The Washington Post). He places them in the context of their times, while also allowing us greater insight into how Shakespeare was personally touched by such events as a terrible outbreak of plague and growing religious divisions. “His great gift is to make the plays seem at once more comprehensible and more staggering” (The New York Review of Books). For anyone interested in Shakespeare, this is an indispensable book.

“The arrival of a significant young nonfiction writer . . . A measured yet bravura performance.” —Dwight Garner, The New York Times

James Joyce’s big blue book, Ulysses, ushered in the modernist era and changed the novel for all time. But the genius of Ulysses was also its danger: it omitted absolutely nothing. Joyce, along with some of the most important publishers and writers of his era, had to fight for years to win the freedom to publish it. The Most Dangerous Book tells the remarkable story surrounding Ulysses, from the first stirrings of Joyce’s inspiration in 1904 to the book’s landmark federal obscenity trial in 1933. Written for ardent Joyceans as well as novices who want to get to the heart of the greatest novel of the twentieth century, The Most Dangerous Book is a gripping examination of how the world came to say Yes to Ulysses.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into key elements and ideas within classic works of literature. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the familiar format.

CliffsNotes on Frankenstein digs into Dr. Victor Frankenstein's scientific creation, a "hideous and gigantic" monster that the good doctor tries to defeat throughout most of the novel.

Following the story of an obsessive man whose determination to create a new race of humans produces monstrous results, this study guide provides summaries and critical commentaries for each part within the novel. Other features that help you figure out this important work include

Personal background on the author, including career highlightsIntroduction to and synopsis of the bookIn-depth analyses of the principal charactersCritical essays on the book's themes, plots, and moreReview section that features interactive questions and suggested essay topicsResource Center with books, films and other recordings, and websites that can help round out your knowledge

Classic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Poet John Hollander surveys the schemes, patterns, and forms of English verse in this classic text, illustrating each variation with an original and witty self-descriptive example. In new essays for this fourth edition, J. D. McClatchy and Richard Wilbur each offer a personal take on why the book has played such an important role in the education of young poets and student scholars.

“How lucky the young poet who discovers this wisest and most lighthearted of manuals.”—James Merrill

“Marvelously comprehensive, clarifying and useful, and a delight to read.”—John Reardon, Los Angeles Times Book Review

J.R.R. Tolkien's novels of Middle-earth – The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Silmarillian – have become some of the most famous, and most beloved, literary works of the twentieth century. And the Lord of the Rings films by director Peter Jackson have re-ignited interest in Tolkien and his works, as well as introduced his stories to a new generation of fans.

Even if you've never read the novels and have only seen the films, you know that the world of Middle-earth is a complicated one. Tolkien took great care in representing this world, from creating new languages to including very particular cultural details that add to the richness of the world's fabric. Many other books have been written about Tolkien and his works, but none have come close to providing the kind of reference needed to comprehend the world of Middle-earth. That's what veteran Dummies author and unabashed Tolkien fan Greg Harvey attempts to do in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies.

As the author says in his introduction to the book, this is not an encyclopedia or quick guide to all the diverse beings, languages, and history that make up Tolkien's Middle-earth. Nor is it a set of plot outlines for the novels. Rather, what you'll find in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies is a basic guide to some of the possible linguistic and mythological origins of Middle-earth, plus a rudimentary analysis of its many themes and lessons for our world. This book can help enrich your reading (or re-reading) of Tolkien's novels, and it will challenge you to think about the themes inherent in Tolkien's Middle-earth and their implications in your own life.

Here's just a sampling of the topics you'll find covered in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies:

Exploring the main themes in Tolkien's works, including immortality and death; the heroic quest; love; fate and free will; and faith and redemption Investigating the diverse lands of Middle-earth – including the Shire, Gondor, and Mordor – and their significance Examining the different cultures of Middle-earth, such as Hobbits, Elves, Men, and those wily Wizards Touring the history of Middle-earth Understanding Tolkien's creation of new languages to enrich the story of Middle-earth Top Ten lists on the battles in the War of the Ring, online resources, and the ways the films differ from the novels

So, whether you're reading Tolkien's novels or watching the films for the first time, or you've been a fan for many years and are looking for a new take on Tolkien's works, The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies can help you enhance your reading or viewing experience for years to come.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on The Picture of Dorian Gray, you explore Oscar Wilde’s great works about narcissism, rife with symbolism and classic themes. Here, you meet Dorian Gray and discover his secret pact with the devil to stay young and handsome, and the subsequent destruction of his soul.

This study guide carefully walks you through Dorian’s story by providing summaries and critical analyses of each chapter of the novel. You'll also explore the life and background of the author, Oscar Wilde, and gain insight into how he came to write this novel. Other features that help you study include

A list of charactersGlossaries to define new and unfamiliar termsCritical essays about Oscar Wilde’s views and lifeA review section that tests your knowledgeA list of online resources for more study

Classic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

CliffsNotes on 1984 introduces you to the modern world as imagined by George Orwell, a place where humans have no control over their own lives, where nearly every positive feeling is squelched, and where people live in misery, fear, and repression.

Orwell's vision of the future may be grim, but your understanding of his novel can be bright thanks to detailed summaries and commentaries for every chapter. Other features that help you study include

Character analyses of major playersA character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the charactersCritical essaysA review section that tests your knowledgeA Resource Center full of books, articles, films, and Internet sites

Classic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

An annotated edition of “Woolf’s most intense work,” a fantastical biography that spans from the court of Elizabeth I to the year 1928 (Jorge Luis Borges).

Begun as a “joke,” Orlando is Virginia Woolf’s fantastical biography of a poet who first appears as a sixteen-year-old boy at the court of Elizabeth I, and is left at the novel’s end a married woman in the year 1928. From Orlando’s early days as a page in the Elizabethan court, through first love, heartbreak, and gender transformation, we follow Woolf’s protagonist across centuries, through adventures in Constantinople and friendship with the poet Alexander Pope. All along, Orlando pursues literary success with her long poem, The Oak Tree.

Part love letter to Vita Sackville-West, part exploration of the art of biography, Orlando is one of Woolf’s most enduringly popular and entertaining works. It has inspired a number of adaptions, including a film version starring Tilda Swinton. This new edition, annotated and with an introduction by Maria DiBattista, author of Imagining Virginia Woolf, will deepen readers’ understanding of Woolf’s brilliant creation.